Hyundai's Performance Model Tested

Close to production i30 N competed in endurance race, ahead of global launch later this year

Hyundai Motor’s close to production i30 N, the first model from Hyundai’s high-performance sub-brand 'N', entered the VLN (Veranstaltergemeinschaft Langstreckenpokal Nürburgring) endurance race last Saturday. The race was used as preparation for the infamous ADAC Zurich 24-hour race also at the Nüburgring (taking place in May), where Hyundai Motor will participate with two cars. Hyundai Motor engineers from Namyang, South Korea, and European R&D centers will help hone the car’s performance characteristics ahead of its global launch later this year.

The VLN endurance race provided the opportunity for Hyundai Motor to intensively test the i30 N car that feature technical specifications very close to the actual production car. The i30 N car was up against cars from other manufacturers, that are heavily modified, to cope with the demands of the VLN race.Albert Biermann, Hyundai Motor's Head of Vehicle Test and High Performance Development said, “We want our high performance brand to have considerable racing pedigree so it is important that we compete with minimal modifications. Nürburgring is where the i30 N has undergone much of its testing and chassis development.”

The cars that Hyundai Motor will enter in the ADAC Zurich 24-hour race are both equipped with a 2.0-liter turbo engine and six-speed manual transmission, the same powertrain and transmission set-up that will be used in the production i30 N. As they race the car, Hyundai Motor engineers will identify areas for further refinement and potential performance enhancements for the i30 N.Sidenote: Hyundai Motor has its own 3,600 square metre testing center at the Nürburgring operated by the Hyundai Motor Europe Technical Center. The technical team based in Germany takes advantage of the Nordschleife’s 73 corners, gradients of up to 17% and a difference in altitude of some 300 meters, in order to perform a host of demanding tests.